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It is of the greatest interest to the observing mind to note and study the special forms of tools which the necessities of the industries have called into existence, since their character and functions give tolerably safe indication of the extent to which these industries have been developed. Highly specialized tools, with special and limited uses, indicate highly developed and differentiated industries. In no branch of the arts is this fact so strikingly illustrated as in that of wood working. This is divided up into a large number of special industries, of which it will be sufficient to enumerate only carpentry, cabinet making, pattern making, carriage building, turning and carving, and an enumeration of the special tools that have been devised for the elaborate division of labor which these various branches of the wood workers’ trade have called into existence would fill a journal like ours from end to end. Without inflicting such an
enumeration on our readers, we will present only rate of
consumption as before, so far as a few specimens of the most
recent and
most highly improved tools which have been brought to our
notice, selecting as our source of information the very
elaborate catalogue of Messrs. Tallman & McFadden, of 607 Market
Street, Philadelphia. We refer in the following to the
illustrations shown herewith. Fig. 1
represents two views of Steers' adjustable plane, which embody
the following improvements: a composite bottom, the bottom of
the plane being inlaid with rosewood strips firmly dovetailed
into the iron, and so combined as to prevent the wood from
wearing away; an improved method of fastening the cutter in the
plane, doing away with the heavy third iron used in some planes,
and permitting the use of a heavier cutting iron, thereby
avoiding all possibility of "chattering", and enabling the user
to adjust the cutter with facility and exactness; and an
adjustable mouth - an entirely new way by which the mouth may be
made wide or narrow with great ease, as the work may require.
Fig. 2 is a view of Elkins saw sharpener, with an aid of which, we are assured, any unskilled person of ordinary intelligence can quickly sharpen any straight saw in use, including rip, cross-cut, buck, band, jig, butcher's saws, etc. The device is sufficiently explained by the illustration.
It may be attached by screws to a
work bench, or elsewhere, as maybe found most convenient.
Fig. 4 represents the Amidon corner brace, which is an improved tool designed to do rapidly all that the ratchet brace will do, and quite as well, besides meeting all the requirements for boring in a corner or close to a wall, and is specially commended to the carpenter, plumber and the bell hanger as a tool which each of these handicraftsmen will find indispensable.
Fig. 5 represents a labor saving device in the form of eccentric
wood clamp, which has number of advantages over the old style
screw clamp, as will appear from the following description: the
main bar or shaft of this clamp is of H form, thereby
securing strength and lightness. The clamping arm or jaw
is so adopted to the H as to run loosely upon it, or
fasten immovably at any point when pressure is brought to bear
by the eccentric; thus, by placing the pressure foot of the
clamp down upon the work to be held, and
Fig. 6 is an improved form of quick adjusting clamp, made of a 1/4 X 1 and 1/2 inch steel bar, with 5/8 inch square thread and crank handle, which can be instantly adjusted to any length by moving the slide. It is commended specially to the attention of carpenters, cabinet makers and wood workers generally who require a tool of this character.
The catalog of Messrs. Tallman & McFadden will be sent, on application, to any of our readers, who may wish fuller accounts of these and other tools. |
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Fig. 3 represents Wentworth’s improved saw vise, which
is claimed to
possess the eminent merit of effectively
stopping the terrible screeching noise
which is such a nerve-torturing accomplishment of filing a saw
with the usual appliances. This noiseless vise has a
flexible rubber cushion, or muffler, between the jaws, which
prevent any vibration and does away with the above-named
annoyance.
moving
the jaw up the shaft to oppose it, and simply rising eccentric
lever, the work is instantly clamped with all the power desired.
